No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas

So you’ve trekked to the patch, spent countless hours painstakingly sifting through every shape, size and color, and finally found the perfect pumpkin… Now what? Well, if you’re anything like me, the thought of carving scary faces into all of those massively tough-skinned gourds is enough to send you over the edge. Particularly if your little ones want to get in on the action. Nothing can kill your nerves quite like watching your 8 year old plunging a knife into his jack-o-lantern and narrowly missing a hand or finger. Trust me, I know this from experience. Or even worse, watching the kids hightail it out of the room out of frustration because they can’t carve it themselves (also known from personal experience).

In an effort to protect our sanity, and to keep everyone involved and happy with the whole pumpkin process, here are some no-carve pumpkin decorating ideas for you and your kids. If you’re like me and not too crazy about the idea of handing a sharp metal blade over to your offspring, here are a few alternative ways that you can decorate your pumpkin this Halloween without involving any weapons…

Duct Tape Pumpkin – Duct tape is all the rage these days and comes in a gazillion different colors. You can even find it in some dollar stores! Check out this duct tape pumpkin at Wholesome Mommy for a tutorial on how to get started. Easy-peasy!

Glitter Pumpkin – Another easy idea! I love how simple this glitter pumpkin project by Kiwi Crate is and yet it allows the kids to use their imagination and creativity. The possibilities are endless!

Photo courtesy of Kiwi Crate

And finally, if you’re feeling really overzealous and need a good use for the overabundance of pumpkins you somehow managed to cart home…

Caterpillar Pumpkins – This is probably one of the cutest ideas I’ve ever seen when it comes to pumpkin decorating. A caterpillar pumpkin found on the Better Homes and Gardens website may be just the ticket to getting the whole family involved. You could stick with a theme or let everyone choose their own colors and decorations and make the final product a big surprise!

In the end, it doesn’t really matter what style you choose. Just have fun spending time with the kids, getting a little messy and finding happiness in the fact that no potential carving injuries were to be had by anyone this Halloween season!